Fewer families consider themselves poor

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipino families who rated themselves poor or “mahirap” slightly dropped in the third quarter of the year, the Social Weather Stations (SWS)’ latest survey showed.

The poll, taken from Sept. 27 to 30, found 42 percent of families, or about 10.3 million households, who considered themselves poor.

This was three points below the 45 percent, or 11 million, registered in June.

Self-rated poverty dipped in all areas except the Visayas, where it rose from 55 percent to 59 percent, according to SWS.

It dropped six points both in Metro Manila and balance Luzon to 25 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

In Mindanao, the number of families who rated themselves poor fell to 53 percent from 56 percent.

SWS said most families who consider themselves as poor also said that they need a P10,000 monthly budget for them not to consider themselves as poor. 

The amount is equivalent to the median self-rated poverty threshold which SWS explained as “what the poorer half of the poor need for home expenses in order not to be poor.” This was lower than the P15,000 in June.

The survey also found fewer families who rated themselves as “food poor.”

It found 29 percent of families, or around 7.1 million, rating their food as “mahirap” or poor. This is six points below the 35 percent, or estimated 8.5 million, in June.

SWS found that on average, families need a P5,000 monthly food budget, or median self-rated food poverty threshold, for them not to consider their food as poor. 

In June, the median self-rated food poverty threshold was P6,000.

The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,800 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.